Baicheng Beach

Xiamen University students enjoy something most university students don't: beach access! When widening Huandao road where it passed between the university and neighboring Baicheng Beach (白城沙滩), Xiamen's planners chose to route the road on a flyover jutting out over the water so that the beach remained untouched. Now, in the noontime heat, beach-goers seek refuge in the shade of the flyover.

With palm trees swaying the breeze and vendors hawking coconuts and seafood, Baicheng is the closest beach to downtown. A boardwalk begins here and stretches for kilometers along the coast, connecting several more beaches. Sandy beaches are broken by rockier, boulder-strewn sections, and it's here that the boardwalk with its elevated design is most useful. At night, it is illuminated by thousands of subtle orange LED lights, creating a lovely spectacle and a romantic spot for a nighttime stroll. More beaches can be found near Zengcuoan village (曾厝垵村) and Xitouxia village (溪头下村), each of which contain several seafood restaurants and guesthouses. An Australian-run watersports operation in Xitouxia rents kayaks, surf boards, and wake boards.